Survival and growth of
instar 1 phyllosoma of the western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus,
starved before or after periods of feeding
G.C.
Liddy, B.F. Phillips, G.B. Maguire-2003
Aquaculture
International, 11
(1-2): 53-67
Abstract:
Adequate nutrition is a principal factor in
controlling survival and growth in crustacean larval culture. The present
study examined the effects of starvation before or after feeding on
survival, total intermoult period and postmoult size of phyllosoma of the
western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus. Individually held instar 1
larvae were reared at 25 °C and submitted to
initial periods of starvation to determine the 50% level of the
point-of-no-return (PNR50), and initial periods of feeding to
determine the 50% level of the point-of-reserve-saturation (PRS50).
As the initial starvation periods before feeding increased, the total
intermoult period for instar 1 larvae that survived increased. The PNR50
was 4.6 days. The different initial feeding periods before starvation
resulted in a difference in postmoult size of larvae after moulting to
instar 2, but had little effect on the total intermoult period. Larvae fed
for the shortest periods were significantly smaller than those fed longer.
The PRS50 was 3.6 days. For both treatments, limited effects of
the starvation or feeding regimes were apparent for larvae that moulted to
instar 2 and continued development to instar 3. When larvae were fed before
PNR50, there were no delayed effects of the initial starvation
period. Initial feeding periods longer than 5–6
days did not significantly affect larval survival or growth. This
information will be useful in the design of feeding regimes in phyllosoma
culture.
(Aquatic Science
Research Unit, Division of Resources and Environment, Curtin University of
Technology, Perth, 6845, Australia, e-mail: gcliddy@hotmail.com)